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Summary: Russian presidential children’s rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov has welcomed the idea of a ban on all adoptions of Russian children by foreigners.
Russian presidential children’s rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov has welcomed the idea of a ban on all adoptions of Russian children by foreigners. “Children are taken abroad for money. It’s a disgrace for the country,” he told Itar-Tass. Astakhov recalled that back in April 2010 he addressed the president and government with a proposal for amending the Family Code to outlaw adoptions in countries that have no proper agreements with Russia on the issue. “The Family Code must be corrected. There are very many strange articles. For instance, Article 125, which outlaws mediatory activities. In the meantime, there are more than 80 foreign agencies operating in Russia. In fact, they do mediation work,” Astakhov said. About the outlook for a ban on adoptions in countries with which Russia has corresponding agreements Astakhov said: “In principle I am an opponent of foreign adoptions. All Russian children must stay in Russia.” “It is our duty to create better conditions than there are in France, Italy, the United States, Spain or other countries. We can do that and we must do that,” he said. Earlier, State Duma member from the United Russia party, Yevgeny Fyodorov, told Itar-Tass that work was in progress on a full ban on foreign adoptions of Russian children. Exceptions may be made only for countries that have corresponding agreements with Russia – Italy and France. Currently the bill is undergoing minor technical editing and proofreading. It will be submitted to the State Duma for consideration “in a week or two.” On January 1 Russia effected a law prohibiting US citizens from adopting Russian children. The measure was part of Russia’s response to the US Magnitsky Act. The law’s unofficial name – Dima Yakovlev Act – commemorates a Russian boy who died a tragic death in an adoptive US family. Russia prohibited the adoptions of children who are citizens of the Russian Federation by US citizens as well as the operation in Russian territory of any agencies or organizations that select children having Russian citizenship for adoptions by US citizens. The Russian-US agreement on cooperation in child adoptions is to be terminated.